1. Segregation:
- Residential Segregation: Housing discrimination was rampant, and redlining practices ensured that African Americans were concentrated in segregated neighborhoods.
- Public Facilities Segregation: Black people were segregated in schools, restaurants, public transportation, and other public facilities.
- Social Segregation: Social customs and norms dictated that whites and blacks should not socialize or interact in most contexts.
2. Discrimination:
- Jim Crow Laws: These state and local laws enforced racial segregation and discrimination.
- Employment Discrimination: African Americans were often denied job opportunities or faced lower pay and limited advancement.
- Voting Restrictions: Many African Americans were disenfranchised through poll taxes, literacy tests, and other measures designed to prevent them from voting.
- Police Brutality: Police violence and brutality against African Americans were common.
3. Economic Disparities:
- Wealth Gap: The economic disparities between whites and blacks widened during this period. African Americans had significantly lower income and wealth than whites.
- Job Opportunities: Blacks were often relegated to low-paying jobs and had fewer opportunities for economic advancement.
4. Cultural Expression and Identity:
- Harlem Renaissance: The 1920s saw a flourishing of African American art, literature, and music, known as the Harlem Renaissance. This movement celebrated black culture and identity.
- Black Nationalism: Some African American leaders advocated for black separatism and self-determination.
5. Civil Rights Movement:
- Beginnings of Organized Resistance: The Civil Rights Movement gained momentum during this period, with individuals and organizations advocating for equal rights and an end to segregation and discrimination.
Progress during this period:
- New Deal Policies: Some New Deal programs, such as the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Social Security Act, provided economic relief to African Americans and other marginalized groups.
- Anti-Lynching Legislation: Efforts were made to pass federal legislation against lynching, although these attempts ultimately failed.
- Increased Political Representation: A small but growing number of African Americans were elected to public office.
Despite these efforts and pockets of progress, the 1920s and 1940s remained a challenging and oppressive time for African Americans in the United States. The fight for racial equality and civil rights continued beyond this period and gained significant momentum in the following decades.